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Original poster

We need a Bechdel test for music.

43 replies

kickassangel · 06/07/2014 08:24

My suggested rules are:

  1. Written by, or performed by a woman.
  2. Not about love or wanting a partner or how good looking someone is.
  3. Must not contain disrespectful tropes (e.g. The woman who tricked a man by looking so good but acting so bad)

I can't think of many but would suggest

Madonna, Holiday or Dance

Or Mariah Carey Dance with somebody

Or Cyndi Lauper Girls just wanna have fun

There are probably others about wanting to dance. This is a bit tricky as they often imply with somebody, or the while girls look nice but really are jay naughty minxes, but I am having to stretch a point here.

OP posts:
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NigellasDealer · 20/07/2014 12:27
NigellasDealer · 20/07/2014 12:24

Jessie J - Pricetag

MontyGlee · 20/07/2014 12:22

Just a recommendation, but Cerys Matthews on 6Music is excellent. It's on now!

TheWomanTheyCallJayne · 20/07/2014 11:11

Yes behind the wall and she's got her ticket both do too
There's probably more
So
Tracey Chapman

TheWomanTheyCallJayne · 20/07/2014 11:09

Tracey chapman - talkin' about a revolution
I'm sure a few of her others probably are too
Will have a think

gamescompendium · 16/07/2014 22:58

Two Abba Songs:
Slipping through my fingers
Chiquitita

Musicals have lots of good ones:
Wind beneath my Wings
do you want to build a snowman?
Do, ra, Me
my Favourite Things
Climb Every Mountain
Maria
A spoonful of sugar
Over the Rainbow

skrumle · 09/07/2014 14:24

there was a thread on here a while ago about listening to women, particularly those who wrote/co-wrote their own material. i followed up a lot of the recommendations and now buy mainly women artists. i have also adopted a policy of only having CDs featuring women in the car.

off the top of my head i think Sia, Nicola Roberts, Miss Dynamite, Paloma Faith, Laura Mvula all have songs that pass your test. issue is probably more about how much are these songs played/what do the charts have in them.

KittiesInsane · 09/07/2014 11:55

Most of the songs from Matilda (OK, not written by a woman but mostly performed by women and girls)

TulipOHare · 09/07/2014 11:49

Joan Jett - Bad Reputation
Joan Armatrading - Me Myself I

whatdoesittake48 · 08/07/2014 22:40

Sinead O'connor. ...no mans woman. Talks about a spiritual love which I read as being a self love. In fact almost anything by her.

fishdishwish · 08/07/2014 22:30

Indeed! I love I Am The Mob ("he sleeps with the fishes...missus").

Chardonnay, from Cerys's solo album Cockahoop, is also a great homage to said beverage.

Original poster
kickassangel · 08/07/2014 22:26

Catatonia would probably have some.

I put horses heads in people's beds ... Is hardly typical love theme stuff

OP posts:
fishdishwish · 08/07/2014 21:39

There are loads of Kate Bush ones - There Goes A Tenner (about a bank robbery) being just one fairly offbeat example.

And the wonderful Fascinating Aida have given us 30 years worth of incisive and hilarious stuff about everything from cheap flights to bankers bonus.

BillnTedsMostFeministAdventure · 08/07/2014 00:49

FS, that's a good one.

Good Luck, Mr Gorsky by Sleeper (though obviously it's linked to a gatekeepery urban legend)
Black Boys on Mopeds by Sinead O'Connor

FreudiansSlipper · 08/07/2014 00:40

Hate by Cat Power

about her time in rehab and hating herself nothing about loving or needing a man just her own demons

may have missed the point but only song I could think of

Scarletohello · 08/07/2014 00:37

Talking of The Bangles, 'Manic Monday' ( tho it was written by Prince who tho brilliant, has written a few dodgy lyrics in his time...)

gamescompendium · 08/07/2014 00:00

Coat of many colours by Dolly Parton would be a great big pass
Walk like an egyptian by the bangles is OK

Hazchem · 06/07/2014 23:07

Opps no but I could be a singer in Density child - I'm a little chubby and my spelling is a bit dense :)

Original poster
kickassangel · 06/07/2014 15:44

But it's not so much about whether an individual product has feminist credentials. It's meant to be about the effect of watching/listening to all these things has on someone. Once someone has watched/listened to hundreds or thousands of products, what image do you have of women.

So, if you were an alien who somehow managed to tune into music from the modern western world, you would end up with the impression that women just stand by their man etc.
Or if you just watched Hollywood movies, you'd think that women were only about 20% of the population, rarely had names, and only ever talked about how much they fancy Mr Hot.

So, a music equivalent would have to pick up on traits that, when repeated over & over, gave an impression that women were - heard, respected, equal, to the men who sang songs.

OP posts:
FishWithABicycle · 06/07/2014 15:09

I agree that it would be good to have an equivalent to a Bechdel Test for music, but I don't think being written by/performed by a woman should be a requirement. Just like it is perfectly possible for a man to write and/or direct a film that portrays women positively as strong independent human beings who have concerns other than their relationship with the male lead, it is possible for men to write and sing songs which are respectful of women and don't just see them as sexual objects, surely?

Original poster
kickassangel · 06/07/2014 15:05

OMG - Aretha Franklin, RESPECT.
OK, about how a bloke doesn't respect her, but more about what she wants than the guy.

Yes, I think a mixed band where females play a significant role would count. I was trying to think of the equivalent of 'two named female characters'. so songs by the White Stripes would count.

Last night I was sleep deprived and hormonally raging. Brain a bit more in gear now.

Was Density Child a deliberate typo?

OP posts:
StealthPolarBear · 06/07/2014 14:55

Came back to say big yellow taxi but I see it's been mentioned :o

almondcakes · 06/07/2014 14:39

Abba - slipping through my fingers.
Pretty much all the songs of Vashti Bunyan
Lot of stuff by Fairport Convention and Sandy Denny.
A lot of the stuff by the Trees.

PervyMuskrat · 06/07/2014 14:33

Halestorm Rock Show or Daughters of Darkness would qualify. The glorious You Call Me A Bitch Like It's A Bad Thing might fail but it's definitely worth a listen to when you're pissed off with the world.

Keepithidden · 06/07/2014 13:32

Most of Echobelly and Dubstar, two of my favourite bands would pass I think. Though they're both overtly feminist so not really that surprising.